Cardio-Metabolic and Mental Health Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Cohort of Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Switzerland

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with worsened metabolic and mental health in the general and perinatal population. The postpartum is a critical moment regarding these outcomes particularly in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We investigated the cardio-metabolic and mental health outcomes before and during the pandemic in this population.

Methods: This cohort study included 418 women with GDM, recruited during two distinct periods. This included 180 women exposed to the pandemic (E+) and recruited between May 2020-April 2021 and 238 women who were not exposed to the pandemic during their postpartum period (attended a year before=non-exposed (E-)) and recruited between January-December 2019. Among the E+, a nested-subcohort of 120 women were exposed both during pregnancy and postpartum. During the pandemic, we adopted a hybrid follow-up of women that consisted of in-person consultations, regular contact via phone calls (35%), sent recorded exercise guide to patients to follow at home and linked to our website. We specifically focused on maintaining motivation and keeping a strong focus on healthy lifestyle behaviors. Obstetric, neonatal, cardio-metabolic and mental health outcomes were assessed during pregnancy and postpartum.

Results: The pandemic was not associated with worsened weight, weight retention, glucose tolerance, metabolic syndrome, well-being or depression in the postpartum with the exception of a minimally increased HbA1c, diastolic blood pressure and lower emotional eating scores in E+ women (all p ≤ 0.046). In the nested subcohort, E+ women had a slightly increased HbA1c at the first GDM visit and a higher need for glucose-lowering medication (both p ≤ 0.014), but HbA1c at the end of pregnancy and other cardio-metabolic, mental health, obstetric and neonatal outcomes during pregnancy were similar.

Conclusions: The pandemic was not associated with any clinically relevant worsening of cardio-metabolic, mental health, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes in our GDM cohort. This was possibly due to a continued hybrid follow-up, and the partial lockdown in Switzerland.